Adjustable hanger



Feb. l5, 1955 w..1. DULLE 2,702,176

ADJUSTABLE HANGER Filed Nov. 5, 1952 4 INVENTOR.

/4//7//407 J a//e BY j@ '14 TTR EK United States Patent O ADJUSTABLEHANGER William J. Dulle, Kansas City, M0.

Application November 3, 1952, Serial No. 318,405

1 Claim. (Cl. 248-323) This invention relates to a hanger assemblyadapted particularly for supporting articles of merchandise overhead andout of the way, yet in full display until such time as it is desired tolower the articles for inspection, removal and/or sale.

It is'the most important object of this invention to provide anadjustable hanger that includes a reciprocable carriage having a tracktherefor adapted for attachment to an overhead support, the carriage inturn being provided with a flexible element such as a chain adjustablylslecured thereto and adapted 4to receive the articles to be ung.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of anadjustable hanger of the aforementioned nature wherein the carriage hasa pair of openings for clearing the chain which is trained over a pairof pulleys, there being a slot extending from one of the openings forreceiving the links of the chain and thereby releasably holding thearticles at a predetermined height adjacent the carriage.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary, perspective view of an adjustable hanger madepursuant to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, inverted view of the carriage and itssupporting track with the chain removed, parts being broken away toreveal details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional View through the track and thecarriage; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse, cross-sectional View taken on line IV--IV ofFig. 3.

Many articles of merchandise are difficult to store and at the same timeremain on display because of the bulkiness thereof, a typical examplebeing lamp shades. If the shades are placed upon shelves in the usualmanner, considerable space is needed, it is difficult to remove theshades from the shelves and replace the same, the shades are easilydamaged during such handling, and if the same are suspended from aceiling to save shelf space they are not easily removed `for inspectionand sale with subsequent replacement.

As will hereinafter appear the adjustable hanger of the presentinvention is capable of eliminating the aforesaid disadvantages and thehanger forming the subject matter hereof is not only adapted forreceiving merchandise such as lamp shades, but many other articlescapable of hanging from a ceiling or other overhead.

Accordingly, there is provided an elongated carriage broadly designatedby the numeral 10, reciprocably mounted on a track 12 that is in turnmounted through the medium of screws or other fasteners 14 on a ceilingor other overhead support 16. Track 12 includes an elongated plate 18having a pair of opposed channels 20 and 22 coextensive in lengththerewith at its longitudinal edges and in underlying relationship tothe plate 18.

Carriage is U-shaped in cross-section presenting a bight 24 and a pairof upstanding, spaced, parallel legs 26 and 28 that are in turn providedwith out-turned flanges 27 and 29 respectively, which underlie the plate18 and extend into the channels 20 and 22 respectively for slidingmovement therein. The bight 24 isprovided with a pair of openings 30 and32 together with a slot 2,702,176 Patented Feb. 15, 1955 34 extendingfrom the opening 30. A pair of spaced, horizontal axles 36 and 38,spanning the distance between the legs 26 and 28 are supported thereby,journal a pair of pulleys 40 and 42 respectively between the legs 26 and28.

An elongated chain 44 made up of a number' of interconnected links 46,has a hook 48 on one end thereof. Chain 44 is threaded upwardly throughthe opening 30, thence over the pulleys 40 and 42 and downwardly throughthe opening 32, terminating in the hook 48. Thus, chain 44 has a bightportion 50 extending across the pulleys 40 and 42, a stretch 52depending from the pulley 40 through the opening 30, and a stretch 54depending from pulley 42 and extending through the opening 32, hook 48being mounted on stretch 54. The openings 30 and 32 are suiticientlylarge to clear the chain 44 as the same is pulled to rotate the pulleys40 and 42. However, the slot 34 is adapted to receive any one of thelinks 46 to adjustably hold the chain 44 in a selected position andtherefore, maintain the hook 48 and the articles carried thereby, at apredetermined height.

It is manifest therefore, that when the chain stretch 52 is moved fromthe full-line position shown in Fig. 3 to the dotted-line position ofthis figure, one of the links 45 will be positioned in the elongatedslot 34 and the clain 44 held against movement relative to the carriageIt is a simple matter therefore, to lower the hook 48 and the articlesthereon, to a position Where the articles may be removed from the hook48 by simply swinging the chain stretch 52 into the opening 30, therebyclearing the slot 34. Furthermore, by virtue of the reciprocablemovement of the carriage 10 in the track 12, the user may easily shiftthe entire assembly, including the articles on hook 48, to any part ofthe store, warehouse or other point of storage or display of thearticles of merchandise.

The length of the track 12 may vary and any number of carriages 10 maybe mounted for reciprocable movement on a single track 12 if desired.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

Apparatus for hanging lamp shades from an overhead support, saidapparatus comprising an elongated plate having structure on eachlongitudinal edge thereof respectively presenting a pair of opposedchannels below the plate in facing relationship; means for mounting theplate on said support; an elongated, Ushaped carriage having a bight anda pair of spaced, parallel legs extending upwardly from the bight, therebeing a pair of spaced openings ,in said bight and a slot extending fromone opening toward the other opening; an out-turned ange on each legrespectively, said flanges extending into said channels forreciprooation relative to said plate longitudinally thereof; a pair ofspaced pulleys rotatably carried by said legs therebetween; and an elon.

gated chain extending upwardly through said one opening, over thepulleys, downwardly through the other' opening, and terminating in alamp shade-receiving hook, said chain being comprised of a plurality ofinterconnected links, said links being selectively engageable in theslot for holding the chain in any one of a number of adjusted positionsrelative to the carriage.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

